Space Mountain Music Question

[Dr. Know]

In a documentary recently shown on the travel channel, there was a segment on Space Mountain at Disneyland Paris. There was a discussion of the amazing sound system, and the narrator mentioned that the ride was scored by "one of Steven Spielberg's favorite composers." Unfortunately, the composer wasn't identified.

My question is this: who composed the music for Paris Disneyland's Space Mountain, and is this the music contained on the Paris Disneyland cd? If someone has that cd, could they please look at the cd booklet and tell me what it says about this piece. Any info you can provide would be greatly appreciated

Thanks!

 

[Scott Bogle]

According to the official technical specs for the ride and the ride's information sheets, the attraction music was written by film an TV composer/orchestrator Steve Bramson. It is not available on any Disneyland Paris CD that I have or know of, but it has circulated as a series of mp3s.

Also, FYI, the music that plays in the queue is from the scores to The Rocketeer and Krull.

Hope this helps,
sb

 

[Dr. Know]

Thank you, Scott! That's really helpful. I did a little more poking around, and found the mp3s at Sound of Magic. I think the slow version of Bramson's theme is available on the Une Journee a Disneyland Paris disc. It all sounds good, although they must have temp-tracked the ride score to John Williams.

Cheers

 

[Dirk]

Hey there, Hi there, Ho there,

Dr. Know your are correct - the slow version of the Space Mountain Score by Steve Bramson has been released on the CD "Une Journee a Disneyland Paris". Unfortunately it lacks all the vibrant energy that make the version heared druing the ride so enjoyable.


Yours
Dirk

 

[Dr. Know]

Yep, I can tell that from the sound clips on Sound of Magic. I actually like the slow arrangement, and it sounds like perfectly suitable exit music to me, but why oh why didn't they release the truly exhilarating ride music?

 

[Dr. Know]

OK, I now have Une Journee a Disneyland, and I am really enjoying the slow Space Mountain music in addition to the two mp3s from Sound of Magic. I'm a big film music collector, and I know that it is frequently said that the music for this attraction is related to John Williams's scores. Now that I have had a chance to really listen to it, I also find close connections to James Horner and especially Joel McNeely. I urge anyone who loves the Paris Space Mountain music to seek out McNeely's 1995 score to Gold Diggers: The Secret of Bear Mountain. Its one of McNeely's better scores, and one of the principal themes is prominently featured -- with practically no variation -- in the score to Space Mountain. Enjoy!

 

[Scott Bogle]

I'm sure you've alo noticed, but listening to it again myself it's quite obvious that a very large portion of the score is also nearly identical to parts of Williams' score to E.T. as well. Right down to the trumpet fanfare and the fast-bowing strings.

I've never heard that McNeely score; I'll be sure to check it out. I've enjoyed some of his other scores.

Best,
sb